A Letter To My Soon-To-Be-Sister: Learning Through Love

How are you? Is it awkward that I am using your upcoming marriage to my brother as a writing prompt for the Educator?

Well, at this moment, I could not think of anything close to as exciting as your wedding on the horizon, and I figured I’d be doing a terrible injustice to the event of the century if I simply neglected to write something about it altogether. So here we go.

I’ve always looked up to my brother. He’s a genuine, soft spoken, kind-hearted human being with a faith that cannot be shaken and a nerdy and sometimes irritating sense of humor that closely mirrors my own. We share a love for the simple things in life, a profound disinterest in pop culture, and a burning desire to convince Mom and Dad that we are, in fact, the best of the four Murtha kids. In proposing to you, B, he has maintained his status as one of the absolute smartest guys I know.

The funny thing about a relationship with somebody that you love with your whole heart is that it constantly requires growth and development. As a future teacher, I have a little tiny piece of advice involving—you guessed it—learning. Every day, you ought to discover something new about your partner– his passions, that which motivates him and makes him tick. Continue to find new ways to make each other laugh. It’ll keep things fun and to me, though I am a very inexperienced lover, silliness is key in any romantic relationship.

I’m sure my brother has taught you some interesting things during these past five years: random medical facts that could someday be of use should you end up on Jeopardy, the significance of each of his Boy Scout merit badges, the dynamics of the Green Bay Packer offensive line. And we at the Murtha house are all hoping he’ll learn a lot from you: how to be a responsible human being, how to avoid forgetting his wallet and keys in obscure places, how to accessorize flawlessly using the color pink.

It’s funny how silly things like this can contribute to more significant discoveries. For example, you learn to be vulnerable with each other, to trust someone with your most personal secrets, and to work as a very special kind of team. You learn to embrace the tiny moments that will eventually write your love story and to work hard to overcome the challenges that may make marriage difficult.

Because I’m studying English in addition to education, it would be completely inappropriate of me to leave out a quote from an influential author. One of my favorites, Dr. Seuss, once uttered the absolute best quote on love I think I’ve ever heard. He said, “You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”

I know that you two will cherish your beautiful new reality, create new dreams, and learn new and exciting things together. I can only hope that one day I find a man who loves me even a fraction of as much as my brother loves you. You guys have something special. Can’t wait for the big day.